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It's time to support carers: policy manifesto
- Author:
- CARERS UK
- Publisher:
- Carers UK
- Publication year:
- 2010
- Pagination:
- 23p.
- Place of publication:
- London
There are 6 million carers throughout the UK, providing care to disabled, frail or chronically ill family and friends, unpaid. This manifesto for the next government, written in consultation with carers, and sets out carers' priorities for change, proposed solutions and recommendations aimed at making services more efficient by tailoring them to need, reducing the bureaucracy faced by carers, ensuring that business and employers have the support they need for their workers who balance work with care, underpinning job and wealth creation and for social justice. It looks at why carers should be supported and carers' needs and concerns on health and care, employment and training, poverty and social exclusion, equality and human rights, young carers, and recognition, information and advice. It concludes by noting that Carers UK has worked with policy makers, MPs and government over the last 5 years to try to deliver a better deal for carers, and summarising what has been achieved by carers as measured against Carers UK's recommendations for government in 2005.
Our recovery plan for unpaid carers
- Author:
- CARERS UK
- Publisher:
- Carers UK
- Publication year:
- 2020
- Pagination:
- 29
- Place of publication:
- London
This document sets out a framework for ensuring the need of carers and the people they care for are fully considered in any recovery plans in the context of the Covid-19 pandemic – whether they are by Government, the NHS, local authorities, organisations providing services to carers, businesses or employers. It focuses on the recognition of carers, equality and diversity; carers and their finances; health, wellbeing and prevention; carer identification; carers assessments as a prevention tool; services, care support and the NHS; food and hunger; investment in digital and tech; employment; and how to better support carers in the medium term. (Edited publisher abstract)
Caring for our future: reforming care and support: briefing on the Government's social care white paper
- Author:
- CARERS UK
- Publisher:
- Carers UK
- Publication year:
- 2012
- Pagination:
- 6p.
- Place of publication:
- London
The Government's response to the report of the independent Commission on Funding of Care and Support, chaired by Andrew Dilnot, was published in a progress report on funding in July 2012 (alongside a White Paper on social care and a draft Care and Support Bill). This briefing looks at the main elements of the funding progress report, with a particular focus on the effect on families and carers. It discusses the Government's view on the Commission's recommendations, proposals on the funding of social care, the care costs cap and means testing. It also sets out the verdict of Carers UK on the key announcements and its views on the main areas of debate concerning future funding for social care.
Choice or chore?: carers' experiences of direct payments
- Author:
- CARERS UK
- Publisher:
- Carers UK
- Publication year:
- 2008
- Pagination:
- 10p.
- Place of publication:
- London
Direct payments, part of the government’s ‘Personalisation Agenda’ - a major programme to change the way social care is delivered to disabled people, older people and carers – gives cash directly to families to pay for their own care arrangements. But the cash brings new responsibilities, such as organising payroll and these often fall to the carer. More than half of those carers questioned (53%) reported their overall experience of the scheme was positive, with almost three quarters (73%) stating that the care they are able to purchase is better at meeting their family’s needs than the previous service. One carer said "Before we had direct payments I had no life. I was a dog’s body and I was invisible. Now six years down the line we have seven personal assistants and we all have a wonderful life.” However, nearly one in ten reported a negative experience of the scheme. Key for many was the lack of support available to help them manage the money, causing added stress, worry and feelings of being overwhelmed. Indeed, a worrying 21% say they have less free time since taking on a direct payment because of the time needed every week to deal with insurance, tax, NI, training and all the other aspects of employing someone. Another respondent to the survey told us "Direct payments just gave me more work. I'm doing Social Services job for them. Life is hard enough as it is without added responsibility and work." Carers UK’s research highlights how the success of direct payments is heavily reliant on local authorities and their ability to support carers. Indeed, local councils can ‘make or break’ direct payments, according to the charity. The amount of paperwork involved can be highly ‘off-putting’ for carers and more than three quarters of those surveyed (79%) have no contingency plans in place should something go wrong. In addition, in some areas there simply aren’t suitable services available for carers to purchase with direct payments.
Caring and Family Finances Inquiry: UK report
- Author:
- CARERS UK
- Publisher:
- Carers UK
- Publication year:
- 2014
- Pagination:
- 156
- Place of publication:
- London
The Caring and Family Finances Inquiry was established in January 2013 to examine the impact of an unprecedented combination of rising living costs and far-reaching changes to social security resulting from the Welfare Reform Act 2012, also to influence future policy on supporting carers. The Inquiry’s remit was to: provide a definitive study into the financial impact of caring – with carers’ voices at its heart; assess the impact of the Government’s benefit changes on carers and their families; and develop future policy on reforming the financial support available to families caring for older and disabled friends and relatives. The Inquiry has gathered evidence through public polling, survey data, case study modelling and evidence sessions with families across the UK. The report is arranged in four main sections, the first on the costs of caring, itemises the financial pressures resulting from lost earnings and rising household costs. The next, on caring and work, describes the difficulties of maintaining working life, a career and earning potential, as well as the effect that carer ill-health has on work. The third is on carers’ benefits, which are failing to recognise the contribution that carers make, or to protect families with caring responsibilities for financial hardship. Lastly, the Welfare Reform Act, is leading to major changes, in particular the Housing Benefit social sector size criteria changes (commonly known as the ‘bedroom’ or ‘spare room’ tax), and localisation of Council Tax support, as well as changes to the uprating of carers’ benefits generally. The Personal Independence Payment (PIP) will be replacing Disability Living Allowance (DLA) for all working age people by 2018, with a likely reduction in entitlement. The Inquiry was supported by an Expert Panel made up of older and disabled people’s organisations, academia and social policy experts. (Edited publisher abstract)
Caring for our future: reforming care and support: progress report on funding: briefing paper
- Author:
- CARERS UK
- Publisher:
- Carers UK
- Publication year:
- 2012
- Pagination:
- 5p.
- Place of publication:
- London
Government proposals for reform of social care were set out in a White Paper published in July 2012 (together with a draft Care and Support Bill to enact many of the White Paper's legislative commitments and a progress report on funding of social care). This briefing presents the views of Carers UK on the main provisions in the White Paper. It covers support for carers, the proposed national minimum eligibility threshold, assessment and portability of care, information and advice, the care market, housing, quality of social care, personal budgets and direct payments, integration, community networks, and safeguarding. It also summarises the provisions of the Social Care (Local Sufficiency of Supply) and Identification of Carers Bill, a private member's bill designed to support the draft Care and Support Bill.